Appearance: Murky and solid gold, with a mild but crisp carbonation. If you pour it with a half inch head, it'll stay with you to the bottom of the glass. The lacing is thick and obvious from start to finish.

Smell: The piney cascade hops will be the first thing to waft up from the glass, but you'll get a sense of the citrus in the background as well. You should also be able to get a brief whiff of the spicy undertones.

Taste: As with the smell, you'll notice pine first, citrus second, and a spicy undertone to compliment the finished flavor. As the beer warms, the spicy citrus aspect becomes much more prominent. The aggressiveness of the pine is tempered by attributes of dryness and graininess. The balance results in a strong and flavorful, yet tame and welcoming APA.

Mouthfeel: The carbonation is perfectly balanced. The body is heavy enough to startle the palate, but smooth enough not overwhelm it. Very dry throughout, and a very brisk finish.

Overall: Excellent and prominent flavor, while still remaining extremely drinkable. I would recommend this as an enjoyable summer ale to anyone.

With as many boxes of SNPA that have piled up in the last couple weeks, it is finally time for me to critically review this beer. This beer has definetely become my default of choice as it is available almost everywhere, and in most podunk towns, it is the only bottle-conditioned choice.

Color is relatively uninviting, a golden-brown-amber. A good head comes up, but dies almost instantly. I found little to no lacing on the glass. The taste is sharp on the tongue at first, but then the Cascade hop kick gives way to a rich maltiness.

The maltiness is steady throughout the palate, complemented by a short hop-kick to close out the swallow. The alcohol is hidden quite well in there. This is really almost all I drink, its sad to think that most establishment's closest runner up to this beer is Sam Adams.

I used to think that this beer was very hoppy, now really all I can taste is malt. I've been "ruined" one too many times. But still, a fabulous everyday session brew that never fails to please.